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The Brighton Magazine

Selected Brighton Magazine Article

Monday 17 December 2018

Kick Out The Jams: Music Journalist Turned Band Leader Brings His Brand Of Great Rock & Roll To Hove

As a music journalist David Sinclair had 'a growing realisation that after all the great records I'd heard and the thousands of shows I'd been lucky enough to see, that it was time to play some great music of my own.'

As a writer and columnist for The Times of London, Rolling Stone and Billboard, he has seen the rock & roll years unfold at close quarters and lived to tell the tale.

David continues:"I was a musician before I was a journalist and once it's in your bloodstream, sooner or later, you have to kick out the jams."

Now on his fifth album as a recording artist in his own right, he brings a storyteller's craft to bear on the witty, bluesy, alt-rock narratives of latest release, Sweet Georgina.

The title track is an ode to the band's muse and the patron saint of songwriters everywhere: "She's a woman of grace, a creature of youth/A master of rhyme, she told me the truth."

Joining David in his band David Sinclair Four (DS4) is master guitarist and co-songwriter, Geoff Peel, together with the hand-in-glove rhythm section of the Mendoza brothersJos (bass) and Rory (drums).

David had another recent brush with rock royalty when he took part in the WholeWorldBand project (a free iPhone and iPad app that artists and brands can use to make and share videos), which brought him into contact with drummer, Stewart Copeland (the Police):

"Recording with Stewart Copeland online was fun for sure - although it would have been even more exciting to be in the same room."

On the subject of modern online recording techniques David adds:

"The internet is a great enabler in all sorts of ways. It encourages you to be creative, it gives you a global reach, it's a pathway to a world of possibilities.

"But it's a mixed blessing. When I was putting my first album together in 2005, it was all about MySpace, which was so cool. There was an explosion of grass roots activity and everyone was making it up as they went along.

"Now most established acts have their own social media specialist on the payroll. It's a full time job just to keep up with all the platforms and metrics."

DS4 are playing with Brighton band Tenderhooks at their album launch at the Brunswick, Hove, in February, where David promises:"Dancing, drinking, singing, swinging .. maximum rock & roll with a shot of rhythm & blues and a fair bit of storytelling on the side.

"It's our first time in Hove, which is exciting. So we'll be playing songs from our bodacious new album, 'Sweet Georgina' - out now on Critical Discs - and mixing it up with some classics from the great rock & roll songbook too: Chuck Berry, Lou Reed, the Stones… You wouldn't want to miss it."

David Sinclair Four play the Tenderhooks album launch party at the Brunswick, Hove , on Friday 22nd February 2019. For details CLICK HERE.

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